They’re not legal, as they contain the psychedelic compound psilocybin, making them a Class A drug. But as anyone who lives in the real world knows, this obviously doesn’t stop people from taking them. The train has already left the station, and from white-collar business owners to vanlifers, it seems like everybody is getting on board.

While the number of people who take magic mushrooms is still relatively low compared with more popular illicit drugs like cannabis, MDMA and cocaine, the figure has nearly doubled from 8.6 per cent in 2015 to 15.7 per cent in 2021 according to the 2021 Global Drugs Survey (GDS). While psychedelics aren’t for the fainthearted, a new wave of scientific research has found that those who do microdose report lower levels of anxiety and depression and improved moods and focus, so it’s no surprise more people are getting into it.

We spoke to Dr Russell Newcombe – also known as Dr Nuke – a researcher of drug use, drug policy and harm reduction, and the author of the book Magic Mushrooms, to learn how to microdose shrooms as safely as possible.

microdosing-WHAT TO EXPECT

Most studies have concluded that microdosing psilocybin improves mood while decreasing anxiety and depression. Many people report feeling clear-headed, more productive and generally able to function better as a result of microdosing.Where to order microdose caps online

“So far, although there are only a handful of studies, they’re consistently finding that microdosing magic mushrooms is associated with reductions in anxiety, stress, and depression,” Dr Nuke says, adding that this “may have a knock-on effect on things like productivity.”

When done as safely as possible, adverse effects are few and far between: 77 per cent of GDS 2021 respondents who had microdosed psilocybin reported no undesired or adverse effects. Of those who did, 35 per cent believe it was because their dose was too high.

“Magic mushrooms are fairly safe as far as the body is concerned,” says Dr Nuke. “The overdose level is so high that it is unfeasible that anyone could actually eat enough mushrooms to get anywhere near poisoning.”

He adds that taking microdoses vastly limits the likelihood of nausea, vomiting and bad trips associated with higher doses. That said, some studies have noted increased anxiety, impaired focus and impaired energy as side effects of microdosing.

WHERE TO SOURCE YOUR SHROOMS

It’s important to emphasise here that buying, picking and taking magic mushrooms is illegal – but if you’re going to take them anyway, you should try to be as safe as possible.

Dr Nuke recommends buying your shrooms from a trusted source rather than picking your own. That’s because there are other poisonous mushrooms that look similar to magic mushrooms and grow in the same spot. “The real problems [with magic mushrooms] occur when people pick them themselves,” he says. “There’s a good chance they’ll pick the wrong, inedible mushrooms, and that could lead to poisoning.”

He adds that users still need to exercise caution when buying from dealers: “until drugs like this are legally regulated, there’s always a chance you’re not gonna get the right thing if you buy them while they’re prohibited.” microdosing

If you do decide to buy shrooms, it’s better to get them in their dried form rather than as a powder. “If you buy them in their dried form, you can see what they look like – they have a nipple-like lump on top of the mushroom, which gives it a very distinctive appearance,” Dr Nuke says. “Although there are some other mushrooms that look like this, I think that distinctive visual appearance gives you something to check when you get them. But when they’re crushed up and dried into a brown powder, it’s more likely you could get something you didn’t ask for.”